Arsenal to swoop for Brazilian striker

Sky Italia are reporting that Arsenal have joined the hunt for unsettled Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Douglas Costa. The Brazilian forward/attacking-midfielder is in demand from Tottenham and AC Milan and was one of the six Shakhtar players who refused to fly back to Ukraine due to the political violence near the eastern city.

Costa’s contract does not run out until 2018 and the report in the Mirror suggests the player would demand a significant transfer fee if he was to be lured away.

The report suggests that the Ukraine champions are at present unwilling to discuss a potential transfer of their star asset so it remains to be seen if the player himself pushes through a move away from Ukraine.

The 23-year-old moved from Brazilian club Gremio where he played between 2008-2010 to Shakhtar in 2010 where he has made 121 appearances and scored 25 goals. The deal is recorded as being a 5-year contract worth 6Million Euros. Costa’s stats remain relatively stable from 2010 and he has won five Ukrainian titles (2010,2011,2012,2013,2014), 3 Ukrainian Cup’s and 3 Ukrainian Super Cup’s.

Spurs are thought to be in pole position to sign the player and his representatives are understood to be pushing for a move away due to the confict. Fellow Brazilians Fred, Dentinho, Alex Teixiera and Ismaily are looking to join clubs on loan and both north London clubs are understood to be on alert.

Costa has insisted the players "all run a deadly risk if we are in the region."

Explaining his actions further, he insisted he and the other five stars wanted to train in Switzerland and were not trying to force transfers.

Costa added: "I like the club, the people, the city, but I'm afraid. We want to stay at the club, but we must have risk-free working conditions."